The last month and a half since we returned to class has been truly exciting, with so many emotions. I had always dreamed of starting in triathlon, and I took advantage of the summer break to go through an intensive training cycle. Once classes resumed, it was interesting to learn how to balance the study routine and class preparation with training, which culminated in my first triathlon at the end of August, debuting at the Olympic distance.
I’m so grateful to my MBA friends for their support and encouragement throughout the training and the race; their cheers were a driving force behind my achievement. A special thanks to Miquel Lucena, who helped me during the simulation and guided me through transitions and open-water swimming, while always bringing motivation and good energy to the workouts.
The experience impressed upon me how much endurance training mirrors life: we constantly face ups and downs, yet over time, with consistency and resilience, we can achieve incredible results. Beyond crossing the finish line, it’s about the learning that comes from training, mistakes, and progress. Each step pushes you out of your comfort zone and calls for your very best effort.
Right after this accomplishment, we had Integrative Week, an intense week working in teams on a case to present to a jury. The learning went far beyond hard skills; it was truly about leadership, including how to deal with time pressure, tough feedback, and finding a middle ground within a very diverse group in terms of personalities and backgrounds. Throughout the year, we’ve been working on these aspects, and this was an excellent opportunity to put them into practice during three intense days that started at 6am and ended at midnight. I’m deeply grateful for the honest feedback from the jury, and I’ll carry many lessons from this experience.
Later in September, I had the opportunity to attend a retail fair I had always wanted to visit: NRF in Paris. There, I was able to see the trends and solutions shaping the future of retail. The fair was truly eye-opening in showing how technology can be applied to a relatively traditional sector to improve performance, costs, and even team engagement to strengthen market position and create differentiation along the value chain. It was a highly insightful experience that I am certain I will be able to apply in my future professional journey starting next year.
Looking ahead, I’m really excited about the opportunities offered by the Global Network for Advanced Management (GNAM) and the International Consulting Project (ICP). Although we are already working on ICP, I am sure an even more intense period is yet to come. I can’t wait to have those experiences – and, of course, to share them with you all.
